Speeders on new TEL spark police fears

People speeding on the Tauranga Eastern Link have sparked police fears that someone will be killed or seriously injured if drivers do not slow down. Photo/file

People speeding on the Tauranga Eastern Link have sparked police fears that someone will be killed or seriously injured if drivers do not slow down.

Western Bay of Plenty head of road policing Senior Sergeant Ian Campion said speeding had become a daily issue for police since the stretch of State Highway 2 between Te Maunga and Domain Rd opened up in May.

"We are not just talking about drivers whose speed has drifted up a notch through lack of concentration. We are talking about high speeds, well in excess of the limit, and in most cases these appear to be deliberate acts," Mr Campion said.

On Monday, four people were caught driving at speeds of more than 125km/h, he said.

The drivers ranged from a male learner driver to a 45-year-old female "experienced driver".

There was also a police pursuit that night.

On Sunday, five people were caught doing speeds in excess of 117km/h on the highway.

Those people ranged from an 18-year-old restricted driver to a 63-year-old woman.

Last month a man was clocked by a speed camera travelling on the same Te Maunga to Papamoa section of State Highway 2, at 200km/h in an illegal car.

Mr Campion said it appeared drivers had become reckless now they had a four-lane open stretch of road.

"The environment of undulating, narrow lanes, and substantial traffic volumes kept speeds in check.

Now motorists are faced with this four lane open stretch of road and this seems to have translated into a complete disregard for safe speeds by a number of drivers," he said.

"If this carries on it will only be a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or worse."

Police plan to continue their extra focus on the Tauranga Eastern Link.

Police said they could not provide the Bay of Plenty Times with figures for how many tickets have been issued on the Tauranga Eastern Link since it opened.

The NZ Transport Agency's Bay of Plenty highways manager Niclas Johansson said the highway had been designed to reduce death and serious injury crashes in the region, but people needed to do their part and travel at safe speeds.

"In this case we have provided a four-and-a-half star motorway designed to significantly improve safety on this route.

Now it is up to people using the road to do their part and drive at safe speeds to ensure everyone's safety," Mr Johansson said.